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The staffer, Michael Zona, of Manchester, was arrested an charged with disorderly conduct. Londonderry Detective Christopher Olson said Zona was wearing a chicken outfit and was harassing U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Gov. Maggie Hassan along the parade route during that town's old home day celebrations.

According to Olsen, Zona was told several times to "cease and desist his activities" around the office-holders, but he did it several more times, while flapping his chicken suit wings. He was taken into custody after officers saw him yelling at Shaheen and Hassan.

At one point, police said his actions caused the governor to back up toward her security detail. After his arrest, the parade continued on without incident.

Zona said he didn't do anything wrong.

"I believe Senator Jeanne Shaheen should be holding town halls and I have a First Amendment right to express that point of view," he said. "I wasn't bothering anyone. I wasn't disturbing anyone. In fact, I got a good deal of encouragement from people along the parade route."

Zona was released on personal recognizance and will appear at Derry circuit court on Sept. 8.

Republicans have been having some success with the chicken outfit in the last week. The outfit was supposed to haggle Shaheen and Hassan for being to "chicken" to hold town hall meetings this year. The chicken got news coverage in the Keene Sentinel and the Nashua Telegraph.

This is not the first time that a New Hampshire Republican staffer has been arrested while wearing a costume. In 2008, a staffer wearing a duck costume was arrested prior to the U.S. Senate debate at WMUR-TV studios.